Biography // Anna's Family

Anna Li was born on September 4, 1988 in Las Vegas, Nevada. She has been part of gymnastics since she was just a tot. Anna's parents were both in the 1984 Olympics for China in gymnastics. Both of Anna's parents actually did not want Anna to do gymnastics at first but when Anna was little, she always loved going to the gym with her parents. When Anna was about four years old, she saw older girls getting competition leotards and she asked her mother that she wanted one. Her mother told her that the only way she could get one is if she competed. The rest is history!

Both Yuejiu and Jiani Li have been coaching Anna ever since she started gymnastics. Anna's first gym was at Las Vegas Flyers in Nevada. She and her family then moved to Illinois and started training at Naperville Gymnastics. Anna was the all-around State Champion in every level. As a level 8, she was the regional all-around and balance beam champion. During Anna's level 9 season, she became the Level 9 Western National Beam champion.

Anna competed as a level 10 for four years. She qualified to Junior Olympic Nationals four years in row. For two years in a row, she won the balance beam title. As a national elite in 2003, she won the all-around, bars and beam at the US Challenge. In 2004, Anna placed second in the all-around and uneven bars at JO Nationals. She then tested international elite and made it! At the US Classic, she placed high enough to qualify for the US Nationals. At US National Championships, she placed 23rd overall. After US Nationals, Anna switched to Aerial Gymnastics.

In early 2005, Anna started competing at 2005 Wolverine Classic and placed 2nd on vault and floor exercise. Anna only competed on one event at the US Classic due of an injury and petitioned to the Championships. She performed her brand new uneven bars routine and placed 7th. At US National Championships, she placed 16th in the all-around and 9th on balance beam. At the end of November, Anna was very happy to announce that she officially signed to UCLA and will be competing for UCLA during the 2006-2007 season.

Due of an injury, Anna was not be able to compete most of 2006 season. When Anna was training at UCLA for pre-season, she tore her labrum in her hip. She had a surgery in November and the progression went really well and started fully training one month later. Anna's 2007 season started at a home game at the Pulley Pavilion against Washington. The interesting fact is that Anna is competing at the very same place where her parents competed at the 1984 Olympics! Anna's dad flew in from China so he could be with the family and watched Anna grabbed the all-around title at the first home game. Throughout the season, Anna placed fifth in the all-around or higher in every competition. She helped UCLA to place fourth at the NCAA Championships. Anna then qualified to the event finals on balance beam and placed ninth place.

In 2008, Anna won five all-around titles, four floor titles, two beam titles, and seven bars titles. She also helped the UCLA team to win seven out of twelve competitions. Some other Anna's achievements during 2008 season was that she was Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week, Student-Athlete of the Week, and earned All-Pac 10 Honor in the all-around. Shortly before the 2009 season, Anna had surgery and was limited to bars. She won against Arizona. She competed on beam at a few meets. She won the uneven bars title at the Pac-10 Championships. She followed that up by winning Regionals.